September 2011 Newsletter

Journey of Life, the Blind Angel Story and David’s view on the Regional Conflict

Hello,
This Past Summer Holiday, I travelled up to the Galilee, there of all places, among the many rivers and fig trees, I decided to read the autobiography of Keith Richards. I really enjoy autobiographies. They raise and strengthen one’s perception of humanity and enable the reader to see the world through the eyes of someone else and to learn from their experience. The best ones also inspire you. The book led me to create the Journey pendant. The book is called simply “Life” and the symbol I love the most for this experience that we call life, is the Ship, which symbolizes for me, the journey of life.

Personally, I think Mr. Richards is a saint. A few years ago, I was riding in a cab and the cab driver who was religious, started to talk about a rabbi, telling me he is a great saint. As he was recounting the miracles and wonders of his rabbi, the radio, which was on, was playing a song by the Rolling Stones. I thought for a moment, and then laughed, and I asked the driver, if he knew the Band playing on the radio. He said that he did, and then I said that Keith Richards was a greater saint than the rabbi. The driver was confused for a moment and then asked me why. I explained that they sold millions of records and if we were to add up all their concerts, Internet downloads, and times they have been played in the various media, we would arrive at hundreds of billions of minutes. This means to say, they have contributed hundreds of billions of moments of joy to humanity. Which Rabbi can do that?


Journey Pendant Gold		Journey Pendant Silver

On the journey pendant is engraved, "The further one travels the less one knows" (written in Hebrew). This phrase was taken from the book of the "Tao te ching" written by the famous ancient Chinese truth seeker Lau Tsu. I really enjoy seeing the various ways people interpret the phrase, People ask me often if I believe in this phrase. For me this is the most important lesson in life. This phrase reminds me always that the knowledge and capacity to succeed in the journey of life is always in me and my close surroundings. In his autobiography, Keith Richards notes that what brought him to what he is today was his grandfather that simply pushed him to learn guitar when he was a child. In terms of a philosophical perspective, my personal understanding of the phrase is that it is an Asian version of, “As above, so below”. This means to say, that our ability to understand things emerges directly from our ability to analyze small processes in our immediate environment and to understand that those processes correspond entirely to things that happen on a larger scale. Lao Tsu would observed nature and came to precise conclusions about the world and human nature.

I like this perception because, to the same extent, the little decisions we make are exactly those that change our life entirely. Keith Richard’s story of the blind angel teaches us an important story about Karma and the way our ship navigates itself in the sea of years. The story takes place in the years 78-79. After more than a decade of heroin addiction and many failed attempts to quit, Keith gets arrested in Canada in possession of the drug. The authorities there brought him to trial and according to all predictions, he will be convicted. At the same time, he realized, he can’t go on like this, and he finally quit. On the day of the sentence, the judge charged him guilty of all related crimes. Keith was sure that he was going to jail, however, the judge sentenced him to community service; he was to put on a special concert for the blind.

Behind the judge’s sentence stood another story which shows how the decisions we make, when full of love and compassion, lead all of our lives to a better place and a better world. It turns out that a year before this happening, Keith heard a story about a blind woman that would hitchhike to all their concerts. It made him shiver to imagine that girl walking in the dark and relying on rides from strangers. He instructed the truck drivers and the roadies to take her with them to all the concerts and to take care of her accommodations and food. When that very girl, whose name was Rita, found out about the court sentence Keith was expected to receive, she decided to find the judge’s house and to talk with him directly. She met with him in his home, and explained to him how those concerts are the most important thing for her and how they give her meaning and strength. The judge who was touched by her story decided to spare him from going to jail and to simply sentence him to community service by means of a concert for the blind. Karma in action…


Karma pendant Silver		Karma pendant gold

The Karma pendant, for instance, is an example of the symbolism that shows how the ideas and decisions we make have an impact on reality. This pendant is meant to bestow the wearer with the understanding that his thoughts have incredible power to create reality. Behind the pendant stands the understanding that the thought that rises in our mind is like a seed that has been planted in the earth. If we water it and care for it, it will grow to a great tree that is very difficult to uproot. This principle works on positive and negative thoughts alike.

The Hebrew writing on the pendant states “Sof Maase Bemachshva Techila" which can be translated to "The end of a deed is in its first thought” the phrase is adapted from a 13th century kabbalistic book called the "Systems of Divinity" (Ma'arekhot ha-Elohut) whose author remains anonymous. The phrase expresses the principle that all things are a product of a divine thought, which sees the result or outcome at the origin of its thought. This understanding as well as the ability to link and differentiate between cause and effect, allows us to execute our thoughts in a complete and harmonious manner.

The pendant contains a live olive seed. The seed symbolizes the initial idea, thought and potential that will eventually turn out and become a materialized body if only we nourish it. The use of a live seed is also intended to remind us that our thoughts and plans must be harmonious with the environment and all of creation in order for it to be fruitful.

A few words on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict
Once in a while, I receive different reactions from friends all over the world that are concerned or identify with what’s happening in Israel. The impressions that these people receive are brought to them by the media whose representation of what is happening is generally far removed from reality. The conflict has been exploited for 90 years by various leaders in order to amass political power, and monetary wealth from the arms trade. I am convinced, if it were not for those very politicians, and if the residents were able to communicate directly, the conflict would have been resolved long ago. Even if disagreements remained, they would not have turned violent. Mutual respect, especially in the Middle East, is the key to peace, friendship, and mutual trust. This story illustrates better than anything my point:

A few years ago, I was requested to accompany a British tourist to Jerusalem. The tourist was Christian so I took him to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City. It was Friday and after the visit at the church, he wanted to withdraw cash from one of the banks, 1000$. He needed it for his return flight on Saturday evening, after the Sabbath. Due to a technical problem, he was not able to withdraw cash- He found out that he would have to wait 24 hours before he could withdraw the money. We had a problem, I didn’t have a credit card and what’s more, we were both dependant on public transportation that was about to end its service in two hours. I called the man who requested me to accompany the tourist, and he reminded that I could always turn to Ibrahim. Ibrahim was a Muslim Arab from East Jerusalem whom I met a little while before then.
I met him at a time that he was hosting a group of Jewish Israelis- I was a bit surprised from this. However, he explained to me that since he is named after he who is considered the father of the Semite religions, he sees everyone as his sons and he welcomes anyone who desires peace to his home. So, I phoned Ibrahim and twenty minutes later we met with him. I explained to him the situation and in a matter of seconds he pulled out a wad of bills and started to count them off.
I observed this and I continued in Hebrew” Listen, Ibrahim, I really respect your good intentions but I don’t know this tourist and I truly hope that he will return the money. “Don’t worry; it will be all right, “was his answer.

“I trust him”, so there the three of us stood, a skeptical Jewish tourist guide (me), The Arab Palestinian Muslim and the Christian guest who need help in the center of Jerusalem. Ibrahim handed him the money, and after we thanked him and exchanged telephone numbers, we went our separate ways; the tourist to his hotel and I to Tel Aviv. On Sunday I called Ibrahim to see if the loan was returned. “Of course”, he replied, “you didn’t need to worry”.
This story illustrates possibly more than anything else the need for direct communication between people and nations, removed from politics and the impressions of the media that is always looking for the violence and blood to excite us all.

Saturn Talisman - Limited edition
7 talismans will be assembled on the 24th this Saturday (Saturn-day)

Powerful protection and healing talisman.
Made at time when Saturn is at his sign of exaltation on September 24th between 13:40 and 14:30, when Saturn is exalted in Libra and placed in the mid-heaven; conjoined by Venus (Libra's ruler) creating an harmonious aspect because the Saturn-day, Saturn Hour and the exaltation of Mercury in this chart.